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Question: Someone sent me a copy of a book by Chuck and Nancy Missler titled Kingdom, Power, and Glory: The Overcomer's Handbook, and I found it rather troubling. I have a lot of respect for Chuck and his ministry, but this really threw me. Have you had an opportunity to review the book? I'd like to get another opinion to help me decide whether or not I'm understanding what the book is saying.

Response: We, too, have great respect for Chuck and consider him a good friend. Nevertheless, the book he co-authored with his wife, Nancy, has, in our view, serious doctrinal errors. The main thesis they present is that born-again believers fall into two categories: "overcomers" and "carnal Christians." When both stand before Jesus at His judgment seat for rewards, those saved carnal Christians (whose lives have produced few, if any, good works) will be relegated to a place of outer darkness during the Millennium when overcoming Christians will rule and reign with Christ.

The Misslers claim support for their view by interpreting verses in Matthew 24 as applying to true believers though they be carnal Christians. Those verses declare that the lord of "that evil servant...shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (vv. 48-51). The authors interpret as metaphors the language describing the punishments listed by Jesus, thereby softening the consequences. Even so, one is still left with a purgatory-like condition for believers. How does a believer know he or she will not be cast into outer darkness, "in the darkened courtyard outside the light of the Holy Place" (Missler, p. 198), where "there is going to be much 'weeping and gnashing of teeth'"? The Misslers tell us "it is impossible for us to know who is carnal and who is spiritual. Only God knows the truth. We are not to judge! That's God's business at the Bema Seat."

In truth, all of the verses that refer to "outer darkness" and "weeping and gnashing of teeth" are directed by Jesus at Jews who have, or will have, rejected Him, their Messiah. Applying any of the consequences to believers does serious harm to the gospel. At the very least, it implies punishment of sin for the believer, which he must suffer and somehow expiate during his time in outer darkness. Exactly how that's to be accomplished we're not told. At worst, like the purgatory of Roman Catholicism, the carnal Christian must pay for something that the blood of Christ did not cover.

In addition to the implications regarding the gospel, it grieves me deeply that the Misslers' book may spread anxiety and fear among evangelicals, much like I had as a Roman Catholic. I knew I had punishments awaiting me, even if I made it to purgatory. Being delivered from that fear when I put my faith in the One who paid the full penalty for my sins, my heart joyfully rested in His words: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:1-2). There are many, many other verses that clearly show that Jesus will never separate Himself nor cast the believer away from Himself. We have His blessed assurance.

A number of brothers and I have discussed our concerns personally with Chuck about Kingdom, Power, and Glory through conference calls and emails. To date, Chuck's position is: "Nan and I believe it to be the most important work of our lifetime."

Before that study was addressed at the conference Chuck was requested not to speak at I had already been looking into this study. A friend of mine send me the audio and some notes from it, but I could not get into it. I told my friend that I perceived some very erroneous things in the study and that was only in the first audio, and not even half way through at that.

Not only that, as I was reading a book by Ray Yungen, I came across someone else who holds to this terrible teaching about believers being cast into outer darkness, and he is far from the sound teachings of the Scriptures too; Rick Joyner is hardly a reliable person in sound doctrine.

So just to satisfy my friend I purchased not only the book, but the DVD's by Nancy on this study. To tell you the truth, my stomach turned to knots and I actually wept for a week. The teachings are worse than just a "Protestant Pergatory". And I was only half way through the study, I had to quit.

Since then Chuck has done a two part presentation on "Inheritance and Rewards", and my friend sent me the power point of those presentations. Well I got half was through the first one, and I can't follow through.

I found in there a "Christian" spin on Mormonism and how some will have more glory than others, sort of like greater and lesser gods.

When Chuck addresses the parable of the Prodigal Son, he says that the son lost his inheritance, but fails to show that the son was NOT kicked out of the Father's house. In fact totally opposite, he was welcomed even if he remained there as a servant.

He then speaks about those who did not enter into the promised land, but fails to give the real reason, "UNBELIEF", instead he says that only two inherited, but fails to show the contrast between those who believe and those who don't.

When dealing with Moses and his disobedience and his not being able to enter into the promised land, Chuck fails to demonstrate that because Moses still had faith, he did go to be with the LORD, and he appeared with Elijah at the Transfiguration of Yeshua/Jesus on the Mount.

My stomach is in knots all over again because of this. And I only got through the first half of the first Power Point presentation.

They also do not present the true application of the three verses that speak to "outer darkness". Two are parables about the contrast between believers and unbelievers, and the other was the incident with the believing centurion when Yeshua/Jesus healed the man's son. And Yeshua/Jesus said that he had not seen such faith in ISRAEL, but seen it in this Gentile.

Nor do they give proper application to those who will be "weeping, and wainling and gnashing their teeth".

I firmly believe you pastors and teachers were right to not have Chuck Missler speak at the conference. There are other things too.

My friend sent me a study by Dan Stolebarger, Chuck's right hand man, on among other things, "Spiritual Disciplines", and I can't get into that one either. I have warned my friend of the "new age" implications and the Roman Catholic tendencies I have seen in these two studies, not to mention the Mormon aspects I discovered last night.

I have been a member of the Berean Online Fellowship for a year and a half, but my membership is up at the end of this month and I WILL NOT be renewing. I am sickened by the whole turn of teaching.